Master the finer points of Instrument flyingHone valuable skills and decision makingGain a better understanding of the IFR systemLearn to manage common emergenciesGet the most out of your next IPC

"One of the best training aides I've used in my 40 years of flying." - John Graff, Colorado

Online Scenarios That Build Confidence

There is no substitute for actual flying experience – pilots that train and fly regularly are typically confident and proficient. While we can't put you in an airplane, we can do the next best thing by immersing you in the mental aspects of IFR flying.

IFR Mastery is a continuing series of online, scenario-based workshops. Each month, we provide a challenging real-world IFR scenario that tests your knowledge and hones your decision making skills.

It's more than reading another article or watching another video. IFR Mastery delivers a powerful way to keep your head in the game and gain valuable experience from the comfort of your computer.

The best part of IFR Mastery is you will get maximum return for the time you invest! Because you are actively engaged, you will learn and retain the lessons in far less time. And because it's fun, you will want to do it more often.

"When it comes to exercising IFR thinking, the program that I was most impressed with was the IFR Mastery Series from PilotWorkshops."

"PilotWorkshop’s IFR Mastery Series hits a sweet-spot mix of material to do on your own schedule and interactively - especially if you spend time in the discussion groups."

- Jeff Van West, Editor - IFR Magazine

A Focused Structure For Busy Pilots

IFR Mastery offers a structured approach that makes learning fun and highly effective. The scenarios follow a format that is simple and straight-forward.

Step 1 - Get a Quick Briefing:

The first step is to watch a short video that sets the stage for your IFR scenario.

You will get a full briefing of the situation and a detailed explanation of all the factors you must consider.

Step 2 - Evaluate Your Options:

Here, you will further assess the situation and choose your course of action.

The resources are specific to each scenario and may include weather data, aircraft specific information, performance charts, IFR enroute charts, approach plates, airport information and other relevant data.

Step 3 - Make Your Choice:

You will be given a list of options for how to best manage the situation. Select your choice using a live polling feature on our website. This way, you can get instant feedback and compare your choice with other pilots.

Step 4 - Learn From Instructors:

After making your selection, you will watch the instructor's analysis video and hear which option they chose.

They will provide step-by-step instruction for each scenario and offer a technically detailed explanation of their process for completing each flight.

These segments are full of tips and techniques!

Step 5 - Visit The Hangar:

This is our members-only discussion forum. After going through the workshops, you will enjoy spending time in the Hangar.

You can read the forum posts where pilots share a story or ask the instructors a question. There are lots of valuable discussions that come out of these scenarios and you are free to join them if you wish.

This is also the place where you can listen to the Roundtable Audio where all our instructors get together and further dissect each scenario.

Finally, you can access the monthly IFR Quiz to see how much you learned...and don't forget to read the lively discussions that the quizzes are sure to instigate.

"..a great learning tool for any pilot who wants a painless path to the experience typically gained by scar tissue." - Edward S. Florida

Take the Video Tour

In this short video, Pilotworkshops Founder Mark Robidoux walks you through a typical scenario and shares some valuable lessons.

Meet The IFR Mastery Instructors

Bob Nardiello was the "Flight Instructor of the Year" in 2004 and "FAA Safety Counselor of the Year" in 2006 for the Windsor Locks Flight Standards District Office. He has over 10,000 hours of total flight experience, with more than 7,000 hours as a Flight Instructor. He currently holds CFI, CFII, MEI, and ATP ratings and serves as a Designated Pilot Examiner. Bob is the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor at a Part 141 Flight School and is also a seasoned charter pilot flying a Cessna 421 and Citation Ultra.

Wally Moran is a retired airline captain and spent much of his career as a training instructor and check airman on aircraft including the Boeing 747 and 767. He has held a flight instructor certificate for over 50 years. He is a Designated Pilot Examiner for airplanes and gliders and has given over 4000 hours of flight instruction in single engine, multiengine, gliders and seaplanes.

Wally has been awarded the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award and is designated a Master CFI by the National Association of Flight Instructors.

John Krug's 27 years of experience as an Air Traffic Controller combined with his experience as an active flight instructor and charter pilot, allow him to assist pilots in gaining a better understanding of the ATC system and how to best operate in it. While with the FAA, he was an On-the-Job-Training Instructor for new controllers and worked as a Quality Assurance Specialist, responsible for conducting in-flight evaluations of the Air Traffic System and investigating accidents and incidents.

Bob Martens is a nationally known speaker, consultant and aviation safety expert. He retired from the FAA after spending 17 years as a Safety Program Manager. In this role, he delivered hundreds of live seminars devoted to General Aviation safety. Bob retired from the USAF (rank of Colonel) in 2000 after 30 years of active and reserve duty. He was an Aircraft Commander in a C-5A and also served as Flying Safety Officer and Chief of Safety with the 439th AirWing. Bob has logged thousands of flight hours in both military and GA aircraft.

Your IFR Mastery Membership Includes:

New Monthly Scenarios - receive unlimited, online access to all new scenarios every month. Includes scenario overview videos, resources and tools for additional analysis, live polling and detailed instructional videos. We email you when new scenarios are published.Discussion Forum - unlimited online access to the "Hangar" (members-only discussion forum) where pilots discuss and debate the scenarios. You can join these discussions any time, or ask our instructors a question. Some of the best learning occurs in the forums.

Roundtable Audios - we get all our instructors together and open the microphones. They share personal experiences and additional, detailed observations on the scenarios. Downloadable MP3 audio.

Monthly IFR Quizzes - prepare to be challenged! These quizzes are short but will really test your knowledge. You will get feedback on all answers to reinforce your understanding of the topics. We email you when each new quiz is published.

WINGS Credit - receive 3 WINGS credits for every completed IFR Mastery workshop. We've issued credit for thousands of completed IFR Mastery workshops! Fill out a 3-field form on our website and we'll do the rest to make sure your credit is issued by the FAA Safety Team.

Localizer Approach at SuffolkWally MoranAdvanced avionics in modern light airplanes should be a pilot's best friend. They can reduce workload and offer pilots an invaluable level of situational awareness. HOWEVER, if a pilot does not have a complete understanding of how to operate their equipment, a simple mistake can lead to big trouble. Here, our scenario pilot missed ONE button push, but it was enough to get her confused and behind the airplane. Ride along and see how easy it is to trip on your equipment in IMC

Circling Approach in MichiganBob MartensIn this scenario, you are maneuvering your airplane to the landing runway during the final stages of a circling approach. Add low weather conditions, passengers and a few other minor distractions to the mix and the risk is quickly cranked up on this relatively straight-forward maneuver. Our instructors discuss the unique challenges that you must manage when executing a circling approach.

Departure

Night VFR DepartureBob Nardiello A night IFR trip in a single engine airplane requires the utmost in planning and preparation. Our pilot in this scenario found himself caught up in a time issue complicated by an unexpected trip back to the ramp. Further complicating this departure was the pilot's decision to pick up his release in the air rather than on the ground. See how these factors nearly pushed this pilot beyond his capability.

Charleston TakeoffWally Moran You are flying your family to Orlando, Florida so your daughter can fulfill her lifelong dream and "swim with the dolphins" at SeaWorld. Because of a few weather delays, you are up against it and need to depart immediately in order to make it there for your reserved time. Although the weather is challenging, the departure is doable as long as everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, it doesn't and now you've put your family in a potentially dangerous situation. Lots of good discussion points to chew on in this one.

Navigation

Diversion DecisionWally Moran It's not unusual for an instrument flight to present challenges that we couldn't have predicted before departure. Let's face it, stuff happens! However, we can reduce some risks by making good decisions on the ground before we depart, while other risks come up in-flight and must be managed real-time. This scenario provides the opportunity to work on both of those critical decision making skills.

Canadian OverflightJohn Krug This month, you and a friend are flying to Wisconsin to join a few hundred thousand fellow aviators for a week of airplanes, sun and brats. Your planned route from the East Coast was to fly the south side of Lake Erie, however because of weather in the area you decide to take the northern route over Canadian Airspace. This should not be a problem, however due to an unexpected issue with your airplane - this decision comes with additional consequences.

Severe Weather

Icing Encounter Over West VirginiaBob Martens This month's scenario will test your tolerance for risk when flying near areas of forecasted icing conditions. You are "on top" cruising along in the clear, but below you is a widespread cloud layer containing areas of forecasted icing. As you continue along your intended route, the weather conditions you encounter are not consistent with the forecast and the situation deteriorates to the point where you need to make a decision now. Test your decision making skills in this critical area of IFR flying.

Thunderstorm over Western PABob Nardiello Anytime thunderstorms are in the forecast, pilots should proceed with extreme caution. In this scenario, the pilot was painted into a dangerous corner when his equipment was telling him one thing, while his eyeballs told another story. It happens! As you will see, it's easy to get into trouble when you are operating near a line of thunderstorms. Finding your way out of this one will help you to never get there in the first place.

Emergency

Scary Discovery Near San FranciscoWally Moran In this scenario, you are motoring along at cruise altitude over the San Francisco Bay area when you make an alarming discovery. You have a problem with your airplane that could be a minor inconvenience or a full-blown emergency situation. Learn how to evaluate this potential problem in-flight and take the necessary actions that will give you the best possible outcome.

A Serious Attitude IssueBob Martens As Instrument pilots, we are dependent on technology and cockpit automation to keep us out of trouble. This equipment can be a blessing since it reduces our workload and helps us fly Single Pilot IFR safely in the soup. It can also be a curse, especially if we are too reliant on it. Ride along with our scenario pilot and see how a small technology glitch almost pushed him over the edge in an instant.

Communication

Trouble Near PalomarJohn Krug Most pilots have experienced frequency congestion on the radio where it becomes difficult to communicate with ATC. If you're flying VFR, it may not be a big deal. But when you are on an IFR flight plan and approaching a critical segment of the flight, frequency congestion can turn from inconvenient to downright dangerous. This scenario is based on a real accident report and deals with a common problem that can lead to big trouble if not managed properly.

Lost Comm at TeterboroBob NardielloHow would you like to suddenly lose all radio communications while on an IFR flight plan (in IMC) in one of the busiest sectors of airspace in the world? Sounds fun huh? You will enjoy this workshop...while the situation leading to the lost comm is humorous, the lessons learned are deadly serious. This is another example of how preparation and proficiency can help you through the most challenging of situations. This scenario offers you a chance to safely review a critical, life saving procedure.

IFR Mastery Q&A - answers to common questions

Q: Will it run on my Computer and iPad?A: Yes. IFR Mastery runs on Windows PCs, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android devices and even Kindle. The only requirement is an internet connection and a web browser. Over half of our current subscribers watch the IFR Mastery scenarios on their iPads.

Q: How long does my IFR Mastery membership last?A: It's month-to-month. There is no long term obligation or commitment, you can easily cancel at any time.

Q: Why one new scenario per month? A: Focus. We understand that pilots are busy, so we focus our attention on the most important IFR topics. We cover these topics from every angle to ensure that you have a deep understanding before moving on. This focus improves your retention of critical lessons.

Q: What is the "New Member" fee? A: The new member fee covers the value of all the monthly workshops we have previously published on our website.

Q: It sounds good, can I try it for a month or two? A: Sure. That's the beauty of our monthly membership. Obviously we want you to get value from your membership and improve as an instrument pilot. However, if it's not for you...you can cancel at any time (easily done on our website, email or over the phone) and billing will stop immediately. This puts you in control without investing a lot of money up front.

Q: Will you ever raise my price in the future? A: No. Your price will never increase as long as you remain an active member.

Give it a try - you have nothing to lose!

Money-Back GuaranteeIf you aren't completely satisfied at any time, you can cancel your membership and billing will stop immediately. In addition, if you cancel within the first month, you will also get a full refund.

PilotWorkshops.com has been an A+ rated member of the Better Business Bureau since 2006.

PilotWorkshops is proud to support AOPA and its membership in their mission of advancing the growth and safety of general aviation.

IFR Mastery Online Membership

New Member Fee: $199 - One Time - Covers cost of your access to the Scenario Library

Membership: $29/month starting next month

Access new monthly scenarios and all previously published scenarios

Cancel any time

Note: Your membership will automatically renew with new monthly scenarios until you decide to stop. This can easily be done by email, phone or on the web site.

Upon order completion you will be delivered to the access page where you can begin viewing workshops immediately.